Stethoscope



Patented Apr. 13, 1954 STETHOSCOPE Andrew W. Fleischer, Rutherford, N.J., assignor to Becton Dickinson and Company, Rutherford, N. J., acorporation of New Jersey Application November 1, 1950,.S.erial No.193,476

9 Claims. 1

This invention relates to a structurally and functionally improvedstethoscope and especially the transmitter assembly thereof.

It is an object to provide a unit of this type which will combine bothbell and diaphragm types of structure; the physician or other operatorbeing capable of readily manipulating the parts so that the elected unitof the transmitter functions and continues operative until the parts aredeliberately shifted or adjusted to place the second unit in operatingcondition.

Among other objects of the invention are those of furnishing atransmitter which will be capable of ready association with the tube orother parts of a stethoscope apparatus and which transmitter willembrace relatively few elements capable of ready manufacture andassembly to furnish a unitary and lightweight apparatus functioning overlong periods of time with freedom from all difficulties.

With these and other objects in mind reference is had to the attachedsheet of drawings illustrating one practical embodiment of the inventionand in which:

Fig. 1 is a top plan View of the transmitter assembly;

Fig. 2 is a sectional side View thereof taken along the lines 2 2 and inthe direction of the arrows as indicated in Fig l;

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken along the lines 3 3 and inthe direction of the arrows as indicated in Fig. 2; and

Fig. 4 is a View similar to Fig. 3 but showing the parts adjusted to aposition different from that illustrated in the preceding gure.

In these views the numeral 5 indicates the body of the device which isconveniently formed of metal. The lower portion may be defined by a baseflange 55 below which the body is threaded as at 'I to mount and retaina correspondingly threaded bezel ring 8. Clamped between this ring andedge portion of body 5 is a diaphragm Si. Above this diaphragm, body 5is recessed as indicated at Ill. Communicating with this recess is thelower end of a passage II.

The upper end of passage I I connects with a bore extendinglongitudinally of body 5. This bore is open at its rear end andpreferably provided adjacent such end with threads I2. In

advance of these threads, body 5 is formed with an arcuate slot I3 whichmay extend through substantially 180. The forward end of the bore isdefined by a wall having a preferably conical configuration. Extendingthrough this wall and to one side of the center or apex thereof is aforward passage Ill. The latter communicates at its outer end with arecess I5 formed in the forward face of body 5. This recess ispreferably formed with threads so as to retain the rear end of a bellunit I5 therein. That unit is provided with the conventional passage il'which will align with passage Ill when the parts are assembled.

Disposed within the longitudinally extending bore formed in body 5 is avalve or control member. The latter embraces a body I8 preferably formedof metal and having a forward conical face which corresponds in area andcontour to the surfaces of the forward end wall of the bore. The controlmember is provided with a longitudinally extending passage I9 having itsrear end centrally of body I8 and extending at an angle to the axis ofthat body so as to be capable of alignment with passage It when theparts have been shifted to a position such that communication isestablished between these passages. At a point short of its end thecontrol or valve I8 is formedy with a branch passage 2@ extending fromthe outer face of element It .in a direction preferably perpendicular tothe axis of the latter and communicating at its inner end with passageiS.

In order to rotate control I3 with respect to body 5 a headed screw ZImay be utilized. The stem of the latter is threaded into a recess formedin the control. This stem extends outwardly through slot I3 to a pointat which its head lies beyond the surface of body 5. It is apparent thatwhen the parts are in the positions shown in Figs. 2 and 3 a continuouspassage is provided from the outer end of bell I6 through to the rearend of control I3. Under these circumstances, passage 2i! is not incommunication with passage II. When the control or valve IS is shiftedthrough 180 then the communication between passages It and lil isinterrupted with the parts being disposed in the positions shown in Fig.Il. Under these circumstances passage 2i! will register and accordinglycommunicate with passage I I.

In order to secure the parts against displacement with respect to eachother, a retainer in the form of a plug 22 has its forward end providedwith threads which are engaged with threads I2 of the longitudinal bore.Interposed between this plug and the rear face of control I8 is a springwasher 23. The latter will yieldingly bear against the surfaces adjacentwhich it is disposed. As a consequence there will be no danger ofobjectionable play occurring between the parts. Additionally, control I8will haveits 3 forward tapered end thrust into frctlonal contact withthe surfaces at the end of the bore. Therefore, the control will requiredeliberate manipulation for its rotation and will not accidentallyshift. Adjacent its rear end plug 22 may terminate in a. socket 24formed with threads 25 and a central tubular projection 26. The latterwill provide a passage extending from passage I9 through the aperture ofwasher 23 and the body of retainer 22 such that the tube of thestethoscope will be in proper communication therewith. That tube may besecured in position by a coupling (not shown) which will engage with thethreads 25.

It is apparent that an apparatus as shown and described will furnish alightweight, compact and desirable unit. The bell `I 6 is convenientlymanufactured of plastic or other suitable material. All other parts arepreferably formed of metal. Diaphragm '9 may be formed of plastic or anyother suitable material. The several parts of the assembly may readily-be detached for purposes of cleaning. The physician will have instantlyavailable transmitters of both the bell and diaphragm types as part ofthe stethoscope assembly. He may readily adjust the parts so that eitherone of the units of the transmitter is, in eiect, operative. So adjustedthe parts will remain in -proper positions until they are deliberatelyshifted.

Thus, among others, the several objects of the invention as speciiicallyaforenoted are achieved. Obviously numerous changes in construction andrearrangement of the parts may be resorted to without ldeparting fromthe spirit of the invention as defined by the claims.

I claim:

1. In a stethoscope assembly a transmitter including in combination abody presenting a base portion, an inner end and an outer end, saidinner end being connectible to the tube of an assembly, mountingsurfaces in the outer end and base portion f said body to respectivelysupport bell and diaphragm types of sound transmitters, said body beingformed with a bore extending longitudinally between its ends andpassages providing communication from said bore to the base portion andouter body end, a control member rotatably enclosed within said bore andformed with axially and transversely extending passages communicatingwith each other, means for rotating said control member to establishconnection between the axially extending passage thereof and the passageleading from said bore to the outer end of the body and alternativelybetween said axially extending passage, the transversely extendingpassage and the passage communicating with the base portion of saidIbody and coupling means disposed .within the bore adjacent the innerend of said body, said coupling means preventing a displacement of saidcontrol member from said bore.

2. In a stethoscope assembly a transmitter including in combination abody presenting a base portion, an inner end and an outer end, saidinner end being connectible to the tube of an assembly, mountingsurfaces in the cuter end and base portion of said body to respectivelysupport bell and diaphragm types of sound transmitters, said body beingformed with a bore extending longitudinally between its ends andpassages providing communication from said bore to the base vportion andouter body end, a control member rotatably enclosed within said bore andformed with axially and transversely extending passages communicatingwith each other, means for rotating said control member to establishconnection between the axially extending passage thereof and the passageleading from said bore to the outer end of the body and alternativelybetween said axially extending passage, the transversely extendingpassage and the passage communicating with the base portion of saidbody, coupling means disposed within the bore adjacent the inner end ofsaid body, said coupling means preventing a displacement of said controlmember from said bore and friction means within said bore between saidtube coupling means and said control member for restraining the latteragainst turning with respect to said body.

3. In a stethoscope assembly a transmitter including in combination abody presenting a base portion, an inner end and an outer end, saidinner end being connectible to the tube of an assembly, mountingsurfaces in the outer end and base portion of said body to respectivelysupport bell and diaphragm types of sound transmitters, said body beingformed vwith a bore extending longitudinally between its ends andpassages providing communication from said bore to the base portion andouter body end, a control member rotatably enclosed within said bore andformed .with axially and transversely extending passages communicatingwith each other, said body being formed with an arcuately extending slotand means connected to said control member and projecting through saidslot whereby said control member may be rotated to establish connectionbetween the axially extending passage thereof and the passage leadingfrom said bore to the outer end of the body and alternatively betweensaid axially extending passage, the transversely extending passage andthe passage communicating with the base portion of said body.

4. In a stethoscope assembly a transmitter including in combination abody presenting a base portion, an inner end and an outer end, saidinner end being connectible to the tube of an assembly, mountingsurfaces in the outer end and base portion of said body to respectivelysupport bell and diaphragm types of sound transmitters, said body beingformed with a bore extending longitudinally between its ends andpassages providing communication from said bore to the base portion andouter body end, a control member rotatably enclosed within said bore andformed with axially and transversely extending passages communicatingwith each other, means for rotating said control member to establishconnection between the axially extending passage thereof and the passageleading from said bore to the outer end of the body and alternativelybetween said axially extending passage, the transversely extendingpassage and the passage communicating with the base .portion of saidbody, said bore presenting an end surface adjacent the outer end of saidbody which embraces a ycurved contour, the adjacent end of said controlmember being similarly contoured and the latter surface engaging .withsaid end surface of the bore.

5. In a stethoscope assembly a transmitter including in combination abody presenting a. base portion, an inner end and an outer end, saidinner end being connectible to the tube of an assembly, mountingsurfaces in the outer end and base portion of said body to respectivelysupport bell and diaphragm types of sound transmitters, said body beingformed with a bore extending longitudinally between its ends andDlssages providing communication from said bore to the base portion andouter body end, a control member rotatably enclosed within said bore andformed with axially and transversely extending passages communicatingwith each other, means for rotating said control member to establishconnection between the axially extending passage thereof and the passageleading from said bere to the outer end of the body and alternativelybetween said axially extending passage, the transversely extendingpassage and the passage communicating with the base portion of saidbody, that end of the bore which is adjacent the outer end of said bodybeing formed with a conical surface and the adjacent end of said controlmember being similarly surfaced to engage with such bore surface. 1

6. In a stethoscope assembly a transmitter including in combination abody presenting a base portion, an inner end and an outer end, saidinner end being connectible to the tube of an assembly, mountingsurfaces in the outer end and base portion of said Vbody to respectivelysupport bell and diaphragm types of sound transmitters, said body beingformed with a bore extending longitudinally between its ends andpassages providing communication from said bore to the base portion andouter body end, a control member rotatably enclosed within said bore andformed with axially and transversely extending passages communicatingwith each other, means for rotating said control member to establishconnection between the axially extending passage thereof and the passageleading from said bore to the outer end of the body and alternativelybetween said axially extending passage, the transversely extendingpassage and the passage communicating with the base portion of saidbody, that end of the bore which is adjacent the outer end of said bodybeing formed with a conical surface, the adjacent end of said controlmember being similarly surfaced to engage with such bore surface andsaid axially extending passage having at least part of its lengtharranged at a tangent with respect to its axis whereby its outer end isdisposed within the conical end surface of the control member to oneside of the apex thereof, its opposite end being disposed substantiallycentrally in the opposite end of said control member.

7. In a transmitter a body formed with a longitudinally extending boreand recesses communieating with said bore, the body adjacent saidrecesses providing mounting surfaces for a bell type and a diaphragmtype of sound receiving unit, a control member rotatably enclosed withinsaid bore and being formed with axially and transversely extendingpassages communicating with said recesses and an element of aquickdetachable coupling mounted within and extending beyond said borewhereby the tube of a stethoscope assembly may be connected to said bodyin line with said bore.

8. In a transmitter a body formed with a longitudinally extending boreand recesses communicating with said bore, the body adjacent saidrecesses providing mounting surfaces for a bell type and a diaphragmtype of sound receiving unit, a control member rotatably enclosed withinsaid bore and being formed with axially and transversely extendingpassages communicating with said recesses, an element of aquick-detachable coupling mounted within and extending beyond said borewhereby the tube of a stethoscope assembly may be connected to said bodyin line with said bore, said body being .formed with an arcuate slot andshifting means connected to said control member-to extend through saidslot to rock said member within the limits imposed by contact of saidshifting means with the slot ends.

9. A stethoscope including in combination a body formed with a borehaving outer and inner ends, means adjacent said outer end whereby abell-type transmitter formed with a sound passage may be mounted by saidbody, means supported by said bore adjacent the inner bore end whereby atube may be coupled to said body, a mounting adjacent the underside ofsaid body for supporting a diaphragm type transmitter, said body beingformed with a passage extending from said latter mounting to said boreat a point intermediate its ends, a control rotatably supported withinsaid bore and formed with an axially and longitudinally extendingpassage centrally disposed with reference to the inner end of `said borewhereby it is constantly in communication therewith, the outer end ofsaid passage being offset to be alignable with the sound belltypetransmitter passage as said control is rotated, said control beingformed with a radially extending passage communicating at its inner endwith its longitudinal passage and alignable with the body passage andmeans for rotating said control around its longitudinal axis.

References Cited in the ille of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 1,671,936 Rieger May 29, 1928 1,708,398 Pilling Apr. 9, 19292,513,827 Tynan July 4, 1950

